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Michael Bisping
Michael Bisping is the former UFC middleweight champion. He was also the light-heavyweight winner of the third season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. He is one of the most prominent British fighters, in fact the first British UFC champion. UFC He most recently faced off against renowned submission wrestler Dan Miller, winning a comfortable unanimous decision. He next faced off against Yoshihiro Akiyama, defeating him via unanimous decision. Bisping next accepted a fight against dangerous striker Jorge Rivera. He defeated Rivera via controversial second round technical knockout. Three months later, Bisping began feuding with Strikeforce veteran and American hero Tim Kennedy. It would seem that Bisping hadn't learned from his first loud-mouth-Brit vs. inspirational-American-hero clash with Dan Henderson. The exchanges prompted rumors that Kennedy would head to the UFC and make his debut against Michael Bisping. Kennedy began begging with the UFC for the fight. He even offered his fight purse up for charity "if he could get a crack at Bisping." Bisping next agreed to coach on the fourteenth season of The Ultimate Fighter against Strikeforce veteran Jason Miller. The two men were set to fight at the end of the show. The winner would face contender Chael Sonnen for a chance to face UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Bisping was quoted as saying, "I fancy my chances against Silva." Bisping missed weight on his first attempt and stormed off stage after cursing out the American fans and giving them the finger. He later made weight and the five-round non-title match was officially set to take place the following night. Bisping defeated Miller via violent third round technical knockout. After the impressive victory over an exhausted "Mayhem", Bisping was left with two possible opponents for his next fight: a UFC middleweight title eliminator against former number-one contender Chael Sonnen or a high-profile rematch against former Pride 205lb champion Wanderlei Silva. After the fight against Miller, Bisping was quoted as saying, "Mayhem felt like a little boy to me at times. I was much stronger." Within the week, Bisping signed up for his next fight -- against dangerous Brazilian jiu jitsu specialist Demian Maia. He soon stepped out to replace an injured Mark Munoz against former number-one contender Chael Sonnen. The winner was sure to get the next shot at taking Anderson Silva's spot on the top of the mountain at middleweight. Sonnen defeated Bisping via a close and controversial unanimous decision. The loss did the opposite of dragging down fans' expectations of Bisping. It was a very impressive effort. Bisping was next set to face Tim Boetsch. He was unfortunately seriously injured and forced to step out of the bout. He spent that time talking trash about his replacement Hector Lombard and Sonnen. After recovering, Bisping faced Brian Stann defeating Stann via a close and exciting unanimous decision. Bisping next signed to face former UFC light-heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort in Belfort's native Brazil in January 2013. The winner of the fight would likely earn a title shot at UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Belfort dropped Bisping at the start of the second round with a high kick and TKOed him on the ground with punches. Bisping wasted no time in signing to face long-time rival Alan Belcher in April 2013. Bisping was outstriking Belcher en route to what looked like a certain unanimous decision victory before administering a devastating eyepoke to Belcher. The eyepoke rendered Belcher unable to continue, forcing a technical unanimous decision victory for Bisping. After the fight Bisping was called out by former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le. Instead Bisping signed to fight Constantinos Philippou in his native England. The fight didn't materialize, however, as Bisping signed instead to fight Mark Munoz on the same card. Bisping suffered a serious eye injury in late September 2013 and he was forced to pull out of the bout. He was replaced by former UFC light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. During his recovery Bisping called out retired former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz on Twitter in October 2013. Bisping himself was next called out in November 2013 by Strikeforce veteran Tim Kennedy. Bisping replied, "Don't start acting hard because you knocked out some random Brazilian. News flash, NO ONE GIVES A FUCK. If you want it. April, let's go." Kennedy fired back immediately, "You are conveniently a tough guy when you are still hiding behind that eye patch of yours." Bisping was in no mood for games, answering with "Well it's simple. Call the UFC and say you wanna fight me in April. Put your money where your mouth is big shot." Later that month Bisping grew tired of Kennedy's jabs and finally demanded, "Listen pussy, it's real simple. I've never 'chickened' out of shit in my life. Just ask Dana White for the fight." After a few months of delay so that Bisping's eye injury could be cleared, the fight was finally signed for April 2014. Bisping talked plenty of trash before the fight but the important statements were made between the skills of the two fighters in the Octagon. Kennedy dominated Bisping with grappling -- and to a lesser degree, striking -- en route to an upset unanimous decision victory. Bisping made no excuses despite coming off nearly a year's layoff and an eye injury. At thirty-five it would most likely be Bisping's last big opportunity at UFC title contention however. Bisping next fought former Strikeforce middleweight champ Cung Le defeating Le via a bloody fourth-round technical knockout. Bisping then fought Luke Rockhold losing via a second round guillotine choke submission, the first time he had ever been submitted. After a few months Bisping signed to fight C.B. Dollaway. Bisping defeated Dollaway via a narrow but unanimous decision. He next faced longtime contender Thales Leites, defeating Leites via a narrow five-round split decision. With the two-fight win streak under his belt Bisping next fought troubled former UFC middleweight champion and legend Anderson Silva in Bisping's own hometown of London. Bisping defeated Silva via a narrow and controversial unanimous decision. Finally Fighting for the Title In May 2016 former champ Chris Weidman was injured a mere week or two before his rematch with current champion Luke Rockhold was set to take place. Bisping offered to step in for a late-notice rematch with Rockhold for the title and his request was granted. The fight would be Bisping's long-awaited attempt to earn UFC gold after ten long years in the UFC. On the same day as revered heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali passed from this earth Michael Bisping also 'shook up the world' by delivering a stunning first round upset knockout win over Rockhold to become the new UFC middleweight champion. Champion At Last Bisping immediately got to work establishing his place at the top of the division, stating that he would decide who he defended his title against first and when and where. He stated that the fight would take place in Manchester in either a rematch against Dan Henderson or a defense against the legitimate contender and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo Souza. After the UFC 200 debacle with Jon Jones' failed PED test Bisping offered to fight UFC light-heavyweight champion Dan Cormier on two days' notice but he ultimately wasn't chosen as the replacement as UFC president Dana White said Bisping was 'in no condition' to fight Cormier at that time and on that timetable. Instead the man Bisping had defeated - Anderson Silva - was chosen.. After the event UFC president Dana White announced that a rematch with Dan Henderson would be Bisping's first title defense at UFC 204. Bisping showed tons of heart against Henderson, getting battered in the first few rounds before ultimately pulling out a dubious unanimous decision in his hometown of Manchester, England. It was quite the performance regardless and Bisping achieved his first title defense. Despite the damage Bisping had taken against Henderson Bisping began asking for a quick turnaround to fight at UFC 206 in Canada. He initially wanted to fight former UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre but St. Pierre ultimately pulled out of negotiations entirely with the UFC. Bisping next called out former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, saying he would beat Diaz "pretty easy." Instead Bisping was next set to defend his title for the second time against Yoel Romero. The fight did not materialize. Losing the Title Instead, Bisping next defended his title for the second time against returning former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre. St. Pierre defeated Bisping via a bloody third-round rear-naked choke submission after a competitive and entertaining war. A very classy Bisping stated that he wanted to fight one more time in his native England in March before retiring. Instead, shockingly, Bisping stepped in for disgraced former P4P great Anderson Silva to fight looming young prospect Kelvin Gastelum on less than a month's notice.. less than a month after the St. Pierre fight.. in Shanghai, China. Predictably enough Gastelum brutally knocked Bisping unconscious in the first round. A subdued and physically deflated Bisping admitted that taking the fight had been 'the wrong move.' He stated that he still wanted to have his retirement fight in England in March. Many fans, including popular MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, begged Bisping to either take more time off than that to recover... or just retire outright. He had nothing left to prove to anyone. Fights *Michael Bisping vs. Miika Mehmet - The fight was for the Cage Warriors light heavyweight title with Michael defending. It was billed as a Finland vs. United Kingdom fight. *Michael Bisping vs. Ross Pointon *Michael Bisping vs. Josh Haynes - The fight was to determine the winner of the light-heavyweight division of The Ultimate Fighter season three. *Michael Bisping vs. Eric Schafer - This was Bisping's first fight on pay-per-view after his victory in The Ultimate Fighter. *Michael Bisping vs. Elvis Sinosic *Michael Bisping vs. Matt Hamill - The fight was one of the most controversial decisions in UFC and indeed MMA history. Both men came in undefeated and the fight was Matt Hamill's first... official defeat at least. *Rashad Evans vs. Michael Bisping - The fight was Bisping's first defeat and it was mainly a showcase of great wrestling skills by both men, and the decision could have gone either way. It went as a split decision to Evans, and Bisping subsequently moved down in weight to 185 lbs, middleweight. *Michael Bisping vs. Charles McCarthy - The fight was Bisping's middleweight debut and after the fight, Charles McCarthy retired from mixed martial arts due to a forearm injury he sustained blocking a barrage of knees and uppercuts from Bisping at the end of the fight's first round. McCarthy repeatedly taunted Bisping during the fight. *Michael Bisping vs. Jason Day *Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben - After the fight, Chris Leben tested positive for steroids and he was suspended for nine months. *Michael Bisping vs. Denis Kang - After the fight, Denis Kang was cut from the UFC. *Wanderlei Silva vs. Michael Bisping - The fight was Wanderlei Silva's middleweight (185 lbs) debut in the UFC. *Michael Bisping vs. Dan Miller - The fight was the third unanimous decision loss for Dan Miller in a row, along with losses to Chael Sonnen and Demian Maia. They had a staredown right before the first round began with Bisping forcing his face into Miller's and Miller shoving him away. *Michael Bisping vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama *Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping - Bisping was a late replacement for an injured Mark Munoz. The winner of the fight would receive the next title shot against UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. The fight was considered a controversial decision by some. *Vitor Belfort vs. Michael Bisping *Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher *Luke Rockhold vs. Michael Bisping 1 *Michael Bisping vs. CB Dollaway *Michael Bisping vs. Thales Leites *Michael Bisping vs. Anderson Silva *Michael Bisping vs. Luke Rockhold 2 - The fight was for the UFC middleweight championship with Luke Rockhold defending. Michael Bisping was a replacement on seven weeks' notice for Chris Weidman. Category:Middleweight fighters Category:Ultimate Fighter winners Category:UFC middleweight champions